(Three out of four former PRIDE announcers agree: Jerry Millen is an opportunistic douchebag.)

By Cagepotato.com contributor Mike Russell

Nearly two years have passed since the collapse of PRIDE Fighting Championships and although the future of the organization most assumed to be dead is somewhat foggy, one fact that has been made crystal clear is that a growing number of ex-employees of the beloved Japanese promotion despise the show’s former American producer, Jerry Millen.

If you recall, Bas Rutten was the first to open up about Millen’s lack of professionalism and knowledge of mixed martial arts as well as his abusive treatment of former commentators Stephen Quadros and Mauro Ranallo. Here’s the quote from Bas’ original post from the Sherdog forums:

“He went out with me and Stephen Quadros the first night, we went to see some Pancrase fights. I realized that he didn’t like Stephen at all. [I] don’t know why. He would ask me what I wanted to drink, and while Stephen was standing next to me, he wouldn’t ask him anything and gave me only a drink. I asked Stephen afterwards if he did something to piss him off. Stephen had no clue. But I knew that there was something going on. Next thing I [know] is that they fired Stephen a show later. Now I guess that Jerry now needed a new victim that he could push around, and Mauro Ranallo was that victim. Why? Again, I have no clue, but he started to mess with him. I believe because he saw that Mauro was unbelievably talented and maybe he was jealous?

Ranallo, who like Rutten worked for the promotion prior to Millen being hired, quit PRIDE in 2006 citing his differences with Millen as his primary reason for leaving:

I felt it was an untenable environment to work in. It was commonly known since day one that I’ve had difficulties with the American producer, Jerry Millen. Apart from Millen, I loved working with all of my colleagues at PRIDE, especially the Japanese staff. They treated me very well, but I think my future as a broadcaster lies elsewhere.

Now Ranallo’s former broadcast partner Frank Trigg has entered the fray to add his account of Millen’s evil ways in an exclusive and candid interview with Cagepotato.com.

According to Trigg — who believes Millen may have lied about his credentials to land the plum role with PRIDE — the former club-DJ was a smooth talker who said the right things to get what he wanted and advance himself in the sport.

“I thought Jerry really was a good guy when I first met him and that he really had his heart and intentions in the right place to help the sport and PRIDE,” Trigg says. "When it came down to PRIDE getting picked up by the UFC — when you leave an organization certain things have to happen — certain people have to be let go and certain people get thrown under the bus and hung out to dry and that fool dumped me out there in the middle of nowhere to fend for myself. It didn’t make any sense to me that he did what he did. He left me to hang, high and dry. At the end of the day I found out the hard way that he was only out there for himself. “

What Millen “did,” Trigg says, was force him to read inflammatory statements that he wrote which attacked the UFC and its president Dana White, who happened to be a longtime nemesis of Millen’s. Because of Millen’s poor executive decision, Trigg had a falling out with White that was only recently quashed when he began talks with the organization to return to the Octagon since last fighting in it five years ago opposite Georges St-Pierre at UFC 54.

“I’m loyal to a fault and I guess I didn’t see it coming. Mauro Ranallo and Bas Rutten recognized early on that Jerry Millen was an idiot and I was the one left standing holding the bag. I actually got into trouble with Dana White and the UFC when PRIDE came to Vegas because of the scripts I was given and what I was told to say by Millen. He didn’t go on any of the radio shows or do any interviews, he just hid out in his hotel room so Dana didn’t see him. He was like ‘Make sure you say how much better our guys are compared to UFC guys and how our organization is better then theirs’ and I went out and did what I was told and Dana got mad, and rightfully so since I was basically badmouthing his organization.

"So not only did I no longer have a job when PRIDE was sold to the UFC, I was on the outside looking in for the next year and a half because there was no place for me. Why would they want to have a turncoat and why would you want one of the guys you took care of who did you wrong back working for you? Jerry hung me out there, which was really a dick move. He shouldn’t have done things the way he did and he should have taken responsibility for what he did.”

Set to return to the Octagon in a week in a half against Matt Serra at UFC 109 for the second fight on his four-fight contract, Trigg says he is thankful that the promotion gave him another shot.

“I’m just glad things worked out and Dana put all of that bullshit aside and gave me the opportunity to come back,” Trigg says. “Now it’s up to me to make the best of it.”

There is no word on when Quadros will add his two cents on the two bit hanger-on who has now aligned himself with M-1 Global and Fedor Emelianenko’s management group.

Cagepotato Comments

Showing 1-25 of comments

I agree with Dick Tucker, am I supposed to believe that Jerry Millen shoved his hand up triggs ass and forced him to say the most awful things even though trigg didn't want to do it.

I remember triggs shit talking and it was off the cuff, he wasn't reading any statement.

BTW: pride was a fruity, corrupt, over-rated pro-wrestling promotion. The hello kitty of MMA only suitable for the most gangrenous of japanophiles.
Good riddance.

And oh yeah before I forget, Douchy Douche Douchebags.

ghostboner- January 27, 2010 at 9:19 pm

In that photo Bas looks like Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins. I am now going to call him Billy Bas Rutten. Well, I mean on the internet I am. In person I will still call him Lord Guapo.

FedorsIceCreamDealer- January 27, 2010 at 7:03 pm

I'm just waiting for Fedor to realize what a fucking bunch assholes are around him in M-1 and pull off a Sub-Zero like decapitation of Jerry Millen and Vadim Finkelchtein...spinal cord and all.

rickdickulous- January 27, 2010 at 6:58 pm

True Story: I was at the M-1: Breakthrough event in Kansas City and I had floor seats so as soon as I saw Millen at the ringside table, I walked up and told him to suck my balls. Naturally I kept walking and he had security go get me... but heres when I realized what a true piece of shit he is. Instead of just having me thrown out, he has them take me to him and "explain myself." I told him ive never heard him say anything good for the sport, and he ALWAYS comes across as an asshole. He tells me "Yeah, well Dana White is a fuckin coke head who fucks the ring girls, and all of his fighters hate him." I started laughing and my friend started laughing like "are you serious?!!" Then he says that he's gonna let me stay if I apologize, and I hadnt met Fedor yet, so I did. It was surreal what a genuine nutcase this guy was, and the pure hatred he had for Dana White, because he repeated the coke head- ring girl thing about 7-10 times over a 4-5 minute conversation. I wish I could post a pic because I have the FUNNIEST picture from that night.

CheckHisPee- January 27, 2010 at 5:07 pm

@DazedNConfused, Mike Goldberg may know more about mma than you, let the rest of us speak for ourselves, thanks.

I for one have never appreciated MG's commentating, partially due to his lack of knowledge on a subject he's getting PAID to talk about, also his repetitiveness and rehashing of Rogan's comments. Beyond that, I just don't like the cut of his jib. Certainly my envy of his job plays a part, but, that having been said, I would take Bas, Mauro, Schiavello or Quodros over him in a heartbeat. Also, it pisses me off that someone somewhere along the line dubbed MG "Goldie", a term of endearment that can only serve to further entrench him as a UFC mainstay.
Wow, really overshot my normal post-length. I guess, long story short, what I'm really trying to say is FUCK A GOLDBERG!

DazedNConfused- January 27, 2010 at 2:18 pm

Its easy to make fun of Goldie from the outside but honestly he probably knows more about mma than most of us. And if he doesnt he knows how to pretend like he does. Sure he screws up once in a while, but hes a good mix with Joe Rogen and I find it funny when Joe corrects him in a dickish manner. Id like to see any of us try to go up to a mic and go play by play with 2hours worth of fights. It takes some serious balls, along with a hefty amount of broadcasting experience.

mma samurai- January 27, 2010 at 1:02 pm

I always liked listening to Mauro and Bas commentate in Pride. Mauro was like a walking dictionary with all these crazy words and terms he knew (which may be what put a lot of people off about him) and Bas is just Bas (liver shot!!!!!). It would be nice to see them back together again.

I think all the hate for Goldie and Rogan is a bit harsh. Despite being a pot head retard at times Rogan does know what he's talking about and is able to provide accurated and intelligent assesments and commnets for a fight. Yes he says a lot of the same crap over and over again (yes we know you don't like fights to be stood up and you could get drunk if we took a shot every time you say WOOOOOOWWWWWWWW in a fight), but isn't that one of the things we loved about Bas? Goldie would stand to learn a little more about the fight game so he can make his own assesments not just rehashing things that Rogan has said to him in the past but he does keep the broadcast entertaining. You could also get hammered if you took a shot for every time he was way off about a fight. All in all I like their style of broadcasting and their chemistry together. I've heard some people work together and it just bored me. Frank Trigg maybe knowledgeable but he is one boring ass mic guy. He has no reason to be bitching and should be thankful to accept the scraps that Dana threw him.

ghostboner- January 27, 2010 at 12:34 pm

Off subject, but one of my other fav's from last year was when PurplePickle said he was gonna buy that Hoelzer Reich T shirt and then go proposition bob Arum in the mens room. Classic.

T_Durden- January 27, 2010 at 12:14 pm

Trigg's complaining bc he had to show loyalty to the company that was paying his bills. This guy in unreal.

Sure Millen is a scumbag, and I truly hope never holds a prominent position within the MMA world again, but what should his stand have been at the time? Telling Trigg to "Plz go on a radio show and tell them all how Pride is an inferior product compared to the UFC"? Of course he was going to have his commentator talk up their organization. This is standard operating procedure for any company.

ghostboner- January 27, 2010 at 12:13 pm

Hey I thought Jerry Millen was to forever be referred to as Jer-Bear? That was one of my favorite CP posts of last year.

831 Son- January 27, 2010 at 12:06 pm

Garry Millen is a fucking joke. That clown needs to get killed.

Peter Griffin- January 27, 2010 at 11:24 am

Frank Trigg is an ass. just sayin...

ReX13- January 27, 2010 at 10:42 am

Jimbo>>

Douche Bag: i don't think that means what you think it means.
Seriously, a d bag is an asshole you couldn't stand to be around. I don't think i'd mind being in Mike G's vicinity. Granted, he's not the greatest play by play guy. He makes errors, sometimes horrible ones. (What's wrong with "superman punch"? I believe that the correct term is a "cobra strike", but i've never heard it called anything but a superman punch.) But i think that being loud and excited is part of the job. He's not a freaking golf announcer; he's watching people beat the piss out of one another.

Call him a moron, that's accurate. But i'd say the frosted tips aren't quite enough to push him into d bag territory.

Just sayin.

Get Off Me- January 27, 2010 at 10:28 am

@agentsmith
I found Mauro "douchey" as well...I think it's the whole contrived voice thing..I will say that he has grown on me though(in canada he is very visible in the mma scene and he definitely knows the score and how to call a fight) and I am past always trying to figure out if that is his real voice or if it's acting, but like you I felt something about him was not right in the beginning(he can grow on you though)

I also had the same kinda thing with Bruce Buffer when he first got into the UFC, I thought he was hermit like, nervous and a low level knock off of his brother.....Today though I would not have any other person do the intro's in the UFC if it was up to me, Buffer really grew into his role and does an amazing job with his unique style(360!!!).

I would like to see how Mauro could do with Goldberg's job, I think in the long run he would be accepted by the audience.

jimbonics- January 27, 2010 at 10:16 am

Dear Rex:

Frosted Tips

Superman Punch

AAAAAND IT IS ALL OVER.

The hundreds of other faggish things he says.

itsgalf- January 27, 2010 at 10:14 am

There's a lot of "douchebag"s being thrown around in this article+comments

Craigger12- January 27, 2010 at 9:59 am

Trigg is a douche. Are we supposed to feel sorry for him because he chose to say bad things about the ufc. Does Frank Trigg really have no ability to control what comes out of his own mouth? Take some responsibility. And while he's at it he may as well retire. Who was the last person he's beaten?

ReX13- January 27, 2010 at 9:34 am

Whoa, what the hell??? I've never said that Goldie was the best at play by play, but what exactly makes him a d bag???

snicket916- January 27, 2010 at 9:09 am

i would even accept millen as a commentator over mike goldberg....that fuker is such a douchebag

meanfinger- January 27, 2010 at 9:08 am

i wanna hear bas do the strikeforce events.. he's the best hands down. he knows what he's talkin about and he has mic skills.

J Akuma- January 27, 2010 at 9:07 am

@Agentsmith

It's because he is a douchebag. He is world class feminine cleaning product.

J-Dog- January 27, 2010 at 9:01 am

Thanks Rex13. You are definitely correct. I looked him up and that's who I remember. That guy is hilarious!

ReX13- January 27, 2010 at 8:54 am

J-Dog>> That was Michael Schiavello. And yeah, i think he's hilarious, too.

It's funny, all MMA commentators are polarizing figures, it seems. Either you love em, or you hate em--there is no in between.

J-Dog- January 27, 2010 at 8:48 am

Kind of off topic: Who is the MMA announcer who says all the silly analogies like "I haven't someone go down like that since that Paris Hilton xxx video". I can't remember specific silly analogies, but he had a million of them. He was more comedian than commentator. I think it was a fight on HDNet or maybe Versus. Any help?

Me- January 27, 2010 at 8:32 am

@shitbag

$kala will always be one step above the rest for providing a fight name to our resident Henry Rollins look-alike in Ben "UFC" Fowlkes.

shitbag- January 27, 2010 at 7:59 am

OK, ok ok ok ok ok OK.

So, now who's the bigger Douche:

Jerry McMillan or Jared "$kala" Shaw?

I really have no idea, the level of douchebaggery with those two is...is, is, just unquantifiable.

All I know is that is a fight I'd pay to see.

iDestroy- January 27, 2010 at 7:53 am

@ wrye bash

Hell yes! Everyone knows fights were way more exciting in pride you guys. And I'll take bas and that other guy over Joe and goldie any day.

ScarTissue- January 27, 2010 at 7:15 am

So he bad mouths his new-old boss for being forced to bad mouth his old-old boss? Way to burn some bridges before they hatch.

When the UFC drops him and he's back with Strikeforce/M1 he will have to eat crow and bad mouth Dana again.

agentsmith- January 27, 2010 at 7:08 am

@ uzithrasha:

I'm not sure if I'd prefer Mauro or Michael Schiavello to replace Goldberg... both of them know what they're talking about and actually call the play-by-play of the fight (unlike Goldberg), but Mauro just comes off as douchey to me for reasons I can't really put my finger on.

uzithrasha- January 27, 2010 at 6:51 am

that piece of shit millen is the reason that fedor will never be in the ufc. ever notice when fedor wins millen is always in the cage right after along with 20 random people trying to hug him. millen realizes without fedor hes nothing. fedor knows it and i hope he eventualy leaves m 1. i wish mauro could replace mike from the ufc and comentate with joe rogan

jimbonics- January 27, 2010 at 6:48 am

@Bob

Depends if you're reading about Trigg on CagePotatos Wiki or a real Wiki.

Wrye Bash- January 27, 2010 at 6:15 am

@Dick Tucker
We can all see you're really tough and incorruptible, but maybe Trigg wanted to get his next paycheck?

Bob Reilly- January 27, 2010 at 6:11 am

Didn't Trigg already make his return to the UFC against Kos?

Richard Tucker- January 27, 2010 at 6:06 am

Trigg is a crybaby. Did Millen really *force* him to read those statements? That bald queer is not a kidnapped journalist with an AK-47 pressed into his head. Whatever.